Mike Bell

Born and raised at the Jersey Shore, Mike Bell’s artwork blends an aura of nostalgia and humor, combined with vivid color and a combination of influences. Iconic New Jersey images, vintage toys, punk rock, classic monsters, Japanese cartoons and carnival imagery are among the cultural forces that have shaped his art. The juxtaposition of counterculture with modern day influences are the blueprint for Bell’s canvases. His paintings have broad powerful strokes but small details are not to be overlooked. This leaves a hazy distinction between cartoony and illusionistic. The outcome is a world where the weird is wonderful and the inhuman is alive.